Shock absorber



July 26, 1932. T. J. HOBBS 1,869,009 I SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Jan. 12,1952 Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED. STATES THOMAS J. norms, or moon,GEORGIA snoox ABSORBER Application filed January 12, 1932. Serial No.586,218.

This invention relates to cushioning .de vices, and more particularly toa shock absorbing cushioning means for vehiclesprings.

An object of this invention is to provide a cushioning device which isso constructed that when one portion or leaf of the spring becomesbroken, the side of theveh'icle will not become unduly depressed therebyso as "to place undue strain on the remaining porto tion of the spring.

Another object of this invention is tOPIO- vide -28. cushioning meanswhich can be mounted .on any type of vehicle, the device includingopposed springs of the cantilever 16 type.

A further-object of this invention is to provide in =a device of thiskind a central block or housing embracing the vehicle axle in whichcushioning pistons are mounted, these pistons being engaged by pistonoperating members carried by the inner ends of the springs.

A still further object of this invention'is to provide in :a device ofthis kind means by which the movement of the pistons can be controlledunder the action of a control member mounted on the housing.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill in part be i .30 described inand in part be understood from the:following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, thesame being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 isa detail top plan view of a device constructed according to thepreferred embodiment of thisinvention, the springs attached tothevdevice being shown in :fragmentary form; r

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view partly indetail and partlybrokenaway taken substantially through the longitudinal center thereof.7

Referring "to the drawing wherein like numerals of referencedesignatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10designates generallya spring of the cantilever type and the leter Hdesignates generallya housing secured to the inner end ofopposing orcomplementary spring memhers 10. This housing H comprises a main body11' which is provided at each side thereof with outstanding ears 1 2 andthe body 11 is provided with a downwardly opening slot or passage 13 forreceiving an axle securing g5 niemberl l which is provided with suitableears 1'5 alining with the ears 12 of the main body 11 for receivingsecuring bolts 16 or the like, so that the axle securing member 14 willbe retained into'engagement with the 90 axle which is disposed at theinner end of the opening 13 in themain body 12 and held therein by theinner end of the axle securing member 14.

The housing H is also provided at each end thereof with opposed ears 17and a rocking spring engaging member 18 is mounted on a pintle or shaft19 which has each end thereof engaged with the opposed ears 17. Thisspring securing or engaging member 18 has a substantially U-shapedchannel '20 facing outwardly within which the inner end of the spring 10is positioned and secured by means-of a bolt or rivet or other securingmember 21. In this manner, the spring en- .7 gaging member 18 will rockon the shaft or :bolt' 19 coactive with the flexing of the spring 10.

The housing H is provided adjacent the upper end thereof with opposedopenings 22 constituting cylinders. which cylinders are preferablysubstantially horizontally disposed, and a piston or plunger'23 issliidahlv mounted in this cylinder 22 and is provided with a ring 24intermediate the ends thereof so as to substantiallv seal the piston 23within the cylinder 22. An expanding spring 25 engages at one endagainst the inner end of the cylinder 22 and the opposite end engagesagainst the piston 23 so :as-to constantly urgethe piston 23 outwardly.The piston 23 is provided with ahead 26 which engages against a pistonoperating member 27 whichis formed with the spring engaging member 18and extends upwardly from the spring engaging member.

The housingH is provided adjacent the lower end thereof and on oppositesides of the slots 13 with downwardly opening passages 28 constitutinglower cylinders for J the diameter of the piston 29 and a lower pistonoperating member 33 is formed with the spring engaging member 18 andextends inwardly of the housing so that rocking movement of this springengaging'member 18 in one direction will move the upper piston 23inwardly of the housing H while rocking movement in the oppositedirection will move the piston 29 inwardly of the housing H and thecylinder 28. v v

The housing H is provided with four pistons and four cylinders, oneupper and one lower piston being on each side of the center thereof, andit is believed that further description of the two pistons isunnecessary. The housing H is provided with an air passage 34connectingthe upper and lower cylinders 22 and 28 together adjacentthe inner endsof each cylinder, and an upper air passage connects opposinguppercylinders together.

A vertically disposed outlet passage 36 extends through the top of thehousing H and an apertured plug or nipple 37 is threadably mounted inthe housing H and is provided with an air vent 38 communicating with thebore of the plug 37 so that the air pressure formed in the cylinders ofthe housing can be released, the speed of release depending upon thesize of the air vent 38.

The upper pistons 23 operate between the opposed ears 17 of the housingH and the tension of the spring 25 against the piston 23 is such as tocushion the inward movement of this piston while the air vent 38operates to control the release of the compression formed on the innerend of the cylinder 22.

In the operation of this device, the housing H may be secured on theaxle by inserting the axle within the opening 13 and placing the plug oraxle securing member 14 in this slot 13 and tightening up the bolts 16so that the opposed ears 17 will extend in the direction of the lengthof the vehicle. When theaxle moves in an upward direction, the sprlng 10will flex and the spring engaging member 18 will rock on the shaft orbolt 19 so as to cause the piston operating member 33 to rock upwardlyand force the piston 29 inwardly of the cylinder 28. The

spring 31 will operate to cushion or retard the movement of this piston29 as well as the compression formed between the inner end of the piston29 and the end of the cylinder'28. The air passage 3 1 connecting theupper and lower cylinders together will permit the compression in thelower cylinder 28 to pass up into the upper cylinder 22 and will operateto cause the upper horizontal piston 23 to move outwardly against thepiston operating member 27. Upon downward movement of the axle, thepiston operating member 27 will move inwardly whereas the pistonoperating member 33 will move downwardly. Inward movement of the member27 will move the piston 23 inwardly and compress the air in the airpassages 34 and 35 as well as in the lower cylinders 28. The tension ofthese springs 25 and 31 is such that in the event one of the leaves ofthe spring 10 becomes broken, the broken side of the spring will beproperly supported by reason of the increased strain applied to theopposite side of the housing which will act to compress the air in theupper and lower cylinders on the broken side to a greater degree.Through the provision of these connecting air passages 34 and 35, theaction of these pistons 23 and 29 is substantially the action ofhydraulically operated pistons and in this manner, the pressure on eachside of the housing will be equalized, thereby preventing one side ofthe vehicle from being depressed more than the opposite side as is thecase where one or more leaves of the spring 10 becomes broken.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the abovespecifically described embodiment of this invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrictedonly by the scope of the following claims.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A shock absorber comprising a housing, means for securing the housingto a vehicle axle, spring engaging members, means for rockably securingsaid members in opposed relation one on each side of the housing, a pairof opposed upper cylinders formed with the housing, upper pistonsslidable in said cylinders and having one end portion thereof projectingoutwardly of the housing, piston operative members formed with saidspring engaging members, and coacting means carried by said springengaging members and the lower portion of the housing to cushion therocking movement of said spring engaging members in one direction.

2. A shock absorber as described comprising a housing, means forsecuring the housing to a vehicle axle, spring engaging members, meansfor rockably securing said members in opposed relation one on each sideof the housing, cylinders formed in the housing adjacent the upper endthereof, upper pistons slidable in the cylinders, lower cylinders, lowerpistons slidable in the lower cylinders, cushioning means for cushioningcylinders, upper cylinder operating members carried by said springengaging members, and lower cylinder operating members car ried by saidspring engaging members.

3. A shock absorber as described comprising a housing, opposed earsformed on each side of the housing, spring engaging members positionedbetween said ears, means for rockably mounting said spring engagingmembers between said ears, upper cylindersformed in the housing, lowercylinders formed in the housing, said housing having a connectingpassage connecting all of the cylinders together, an outlet member forsaid passage, a piston for each cylinder, springs positioned in theupper and lower cylinders and engaging the pistons for constantly urgingthe pistons outwardly of the cylinders, heads formed on the upper andlower pistons, upper piston operating members formed with said springengaging members, and lower piston operating members formed with saidspring engaging members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature. 7

THOMAS J. HOBBS.

